GSA Webinars

Article Index

Indigenous Aging Research: Current State of the Science and Future Directions for Research

October 30, 2015

The older adult American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is growing at a rapid pace. Statistics reported by the Administration on Aging reveal that the number of AI/AN adults aged 65 years and older in the United States is expected to nearly quadruple by 2050. Chronic diseases have a detrimental impact on this population, yet few research studies include AI/AN or indigenous populations worldwide. In this webinar, the presenters discuss studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and international research on indigenous populations, innovative practice-based programs, and the impact of colonization on the health of indigenous older adults. Future directions for research as well as novel approaches are also addressed. Speakers: Jordan Lewis, PhD, assistant professor, University of Washington School of Social Work and Indigenous Wellness Research Institute; Sarah Llanque, RN, PhD, scholar-in-residence, Frisch Institute for Senior Care, Florida State College at Jacksonville.

This webinar is supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Networking: Building Solid Career Connections for Emerging Scholars and Professionals (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

October 2, 2015

Throughout your career, the ability to network is a fundamental cornerstone to building strong professional relationships. Because networking takes place in various settings, both online and offline, and oftentimes even before an initial meeting, it is an essential skill to hone. Successful networking can advance your career in the field of aging through attainment of career goals, promoting collaboration and mentorship, and enhancing grantsmanship. Join us for the fourth installment of the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series to learn the ins and outs of networking and how to apply these skills during the upcoming GSA Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando.

Presented by:Jaime Hughes, MPH, MSW, doctoral student in Social Work and Public Health and a NIH Predoctoral Research Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill. Ms. Hughes has worked previously with the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) at both the Ann Arbor and Los Angeles VA Medical Centers and currently collaborates with health services researchers at the Durham VA Medical Center. She is currently a member of the ESPO Executive Committee and will begin her term as Chair in November 2015.Katherine Hall, PhD, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics at Duke University and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Durham, NC. She is a Past Chair of ESPO’s Executive Committee and currently serves as the Communications Officer of the International Association of Geriatrics and Gerontology Council of Student Organizations (IAGG-CSO).

This webinar is supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Post-Doctoral Opportunities: A Complete Look at the Spectrum of the Post-Doc Experience (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization/National Institute on Aging Webinar Series)

September 18, 2015

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Office of Special Populations and the Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO) of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) have collaborated to present the webinar “Post-Doctoral Opportunities: A Completed Look at the Spectrum of the Post-Doc Experience,” featuring Jamie Justice, PhD, from the University of Colorado, and Todd Ruppar, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, from the University of Missouri. This webinar will focus on how to identify post-doctoral opportunities; how to make the most of post-doctoral positions; and the next steps to launch a career after the completion of a post-doctoral position. The speakers will address this content from an early career and more senior perspective, commenting on both clinical and academic opportunities.

Presented by:Jamie Justice, PhD, is a Research Fellow in Geriatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine working with Drs. Steve Kritchevsky and Carol Shively. Her primary research interests are to identify novel biological and behavioral factors that contribute to age-related declines in physical function and to test dietary, lifestyle and drug interventions with potential to slow the trajectory of age-related functional decline. Dr. Justice received her graduate training with Dr. Roger Enoka in the Neurophysiology of Movement Laboratory and completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Douglas Seals in the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory, both located at the University of Colorado Boulder.Todd Ruppar, PhD, RN, GCNS-BC, serves as assistant professor and associate director of the Meta-Analysis Research Center at the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing. His research focuses on improving adherence to cardiovascular medications, and he has particular interests in adherence measurement and in how approaches to addressing adherence may impact health disparities. Dr. Ruppar is currently funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program, and has also had research funding through organizations including the PhRMA Foundation, and the John A. Hartford Foundation. As an educator, Dr. Ruppar teaches graduate courses on health behavior change and meta-analysis research methods, and undergraduate courses on public health nursing.

How to Gain Entry and Work with Older Adults in Culturally Grounded and Respectful Approaches

July 29, 2015

This webinar focuses on Dr. Lewis’s research experiences with tribal communities in rural Alaska and urban Seattle. The presentation discusses culturally grounded approaches to research with tribal communities, with an emphasis on community-based participatory research, and will outline recommendations for working respectfully and collaboratively with older adults in tribal communities across the United States. It also highlights the steps of beginning a research study with American Indian and Alaska Native older adults, from developing research questions to disseminating findings. Speakers: Jordan Lewis, PhD, assistant professor, University of Washington School of Social Work and Indigenous Wellness Research Institute; Sarah Llanque, RN, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in cancer, aging, and end-of-life care, University of Utah College of Nursing.

This webinar was supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

New Visions for Long-term Services and Supports: The Aging Network & the White House Conference on Aging

June 25, 2015

With the backdrop of the upcoming 2015 White House Conference on Aging, and the challenges of the evolving long-term services and supports (LTSS) system at the state level, this webinar looks to the lessons of the federal Commission on Long-Term Care and the innovations of the aging services network to frame the future for person-centered LTSS. Moderator: Brian Lindberg, MSW, MMHS, public policy advisor, GSA. Speakers: Larry Atkins, PhD, executive director, Long-Term Quality Alliance, and president, National Academy of Social Insurance; Amy Gotwals, chief of public policy & external affairs, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Nora Super, MPA, executive director, 2015 White House Conference on Aging.

Developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and supported by a grant from The SCAN Foundation — advancing a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. Additional support provided by the GSA Innovation Fund.

Nothing With Us Without Us: Exploring Research Partnerships With Native American Communities

April 28, 2015

This presentation seeks to provide a basic overview of the opportunities and challenges in conducting human subjects research in Indian Country. T.J. Holland, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Cultural Resources Supervisor and Chair of the tribe’s Cultural IRB and member of the Medical IRB, will discuss issues such as academic freedom, cultural sensitivity, and best practices for potential researchers who seek to work with Native American communities.

This webinar was supported by The Mentoring Effect, a special project of the GSA Innovation Fund.

Sleep Health and the Appropriate Use of OTC Sleep Aids in Older Adults: Results from a GSA Summit

March 13, 2015

To engage national stakeholders in a discussion on OTC sleep aid use by older adults and explore strategies for improving safe use of these products, The Gerontological Society of America organized a National Summit on OTC Sleep Aids and Sleep Health in Older Adults. Key findings from the summit include the high prevalence of sleep disturbances and recourse to OTC sleep aids, the long half-life of these medications and possible next-day detrimental effects, frequent anticholinergic side effects and the need for concerted efforts by retail pharmacists and other providers to address sleep health in older adults. The webinar speakers include Steven M. Albert, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh, Michael V. Vitiello, PhD, of the University of Washington, and Tom Roth, PhD, of Henry Ford Health Systems.

Show Me the Money! Grant Writing for Emerging Scholars and Professionals (GSA Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Professional Development Webinar Series)

February 20, 2015

Grant writing is an essential component of all phases (dissertation, post-doctoral, early career) of your academic and professional careers. Funding is competitive, but gaining skills early in your career can help you learn how to identify funding opportunities and assemble a competitive application. This third webinar in the ESPO Professional Development Webinar Series offers tips for successful early career grantsmanship. Presenters: Laura Tonks Raffield, a PhD candidate in molecular genetics and genomics at Wake Forest School of Medicine and recipient of an F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute on Aging; and Ruth Masterson Creber, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and the School of Nursing, and recipient of an F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Nursing Research and grants from the John Hartford Foundation and Edna G. Kynett Memorial Foundation

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit as Springboard to Detection of Cognitive Impairment, Diagnosis, and Post-Diagnosis Support

January 14, 2015

The 2010 Affordable Care Act established the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) as an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to receive preventive and assessment services during visits with their primary care providers (PCPs). Detection of cognitive impairment is among required AWV services, yet no specific tools are mandated and no data are available regarding tools used for this purpose. This webinar explains these and related issues being addressed by the GSA Workgroup on Cognitive Impairment Detection and Earlier Diagnosis. The presenters will be Shari M. Ling, MD, and Katie Maslow, MSW.